The present invention relates to enclosed plastic containers in general, and to containers for food products in particular.
Restaurants, deli counters, and caterers provide convenience and time savings to their customers by preparing various dishes within their facilities for customers to take out for dining within the customer's home. Many of these dishes are cooked and maintained in a heated condition after preparation, until time of sale. The customer purchases the food item while still hot or warm, and will then take the item home.
Warm food products present a special challenge to point of sale packaging. First, because of the temperature difference between the food product and ambient conditions, there is bound to be vapor condensation on any cool container into which the product is placed. Second, if the food product is significantly elevated in temperature, it is desirable to keep the hot product from uncomfortable contact with the user. Moreover, any juices or condensate should be securely retained within the container. In some containers formed from thermoformed plastic sheet, strap handles are provided which fold up from the container base. However, when these straps extend so as to present the narrow thickness of the strap pointing downwards, all of the package weight is carried on the user's hands through a very small surface area of the user's hand, reducing the comfort of carrying the loaded container.
Rotisserie chicken is an example of a food item sold hot. The hot chicken is removed from a spit or warming rack and is placed into a container, for example a two part thermoformed plastic one. Typically the container has a lid which is pressed into engagement with a base so as to form a peripheral seal around the container. What is needed is a container which is readily assembled by food service personnel, and which can accommodate condensate liquids. Moreover, the container should be conducive to carrying by the customer without requiring too close contact with the heated food item.